Two weeks to go!

Two weeks to go to retirement, and to be honest, I don't know what to feel.  Still very much involved with the day to day running of the parish, and with all the major life threatening issues which demand so much of my time, like whether an organist who isn't playing at a wedding, gets paid or not, for not playing.  And where are the hymn numbers for this Sunday?


Big issues like how can we raise more money to keep going, or do we need three churches in our parish when we can't even fill one, let alone keep one going financially, fail to attract any attention for action.  I suppose arguing about who puts out the church's wheelie-bin is more important to people!


And this impacts for me on the sermon I have just prepared for tomorrow morning.  Text "Jesus says 'who do people say I am?'"  I am asking the good people of Ollerton and Boughton that question tomorrow - it will be interesting to hear their responses, because sometimes, with some people, I really do wonder!

Two weeks to go to retirement, and I ask myself whether I will miss it all ....you bet I will.  This is the best job in the  world, and I just love the variety of people and issues I get involved with - my big regret for me is that I have to retire 6 years earlier than I had planned (at the age of 61 and after only 4 years here) because of my cancer.  But to be fair to myself, and to my family and my friends, the fight with cancer has to take priority, and I am so greatful that the Bishop and the Church of England have agreed that I can take early retirement on a pension that I would have got at the age of 65.

I shall be moving back to Rainworth, although I won't be involved in that church where I was vicar before I moved here.  I am hoping to help out in other parishes as much as my health allows, but of course being on a pension, I can decide how much that is.  Email me if you want my new address and phone number - richardgoodhand@gmail.com.

Friends are very important to me.  I have spoken on my blog at length about how much I love my family, and all they mean to me, especially Sue and our 3 wonderful children. But my friends also mean so much, and have kept me going through even the darkest moments.

My Mondays with Mark and Kathryn, Neil, Martin, David, Tom, to name just 6 of my many dear friends.

And last night I went to Lincoln to have a curry with my two oldest friends (oldest in the sense of the number of years we have been friends - 53 years) John and Peter.  It was so good to be with them, and to look back on life, and look forward to things of the future - Peter (who is a few months younger than me, and who has already retired) has said he will come with me on a few Railway days out, which will be good - but as I drove home I thought I hope I don't become like some character off "Last of the Summer Wine!".

Our holiday in Cornwall and Anglesey went very well - we had a lovely time.  Sadness since, though, in that Daniel and Louise have split up.   All Sue and I can do is to be there for them.

Been in quite a bit of pain, particularly at night, but this has now subsided a bit.   Oramorph has helped.

9 days into new drug - Everolimus - oncologist this Wedensday, so we will see how things are then.

Plenty has happened since I last blogged.   Much of it I have reported as fact, rather than my thoughts behind it.  Much is about to happen. 

Next Friday, for example, I am being interviewed by BBC Radio Nottingham - hope I don't mnake a mess of it!

At the start of the year, if you had said to be I would be retired by October, I wouild have laughed at them, and said never!

But I have learned never to say "never". 

Quite looking forward to retirement now, as long as I have plenty to do, and am able to do it.

If I can help anyone, as a priest, as a friend, or as a family member, you only have to ask me - I will do whatever I can while there is still life in me to be lived.